It's Not Over Yet
by amertka
Summary: The Battle for Hogwarts is over. The adventure is over for Harry, Ron, and Hermione. But what about the next generation? Teddy Lupin and Victoire Weasely make an unlikely friend who may be more than he seems. When their new friend is captured by a power-hungry rogue wizard, will they be able to save him? What is this boy's mysterious secret and what will happen when it is revealed?


Chapter 1

First Day of School

"Thomas! Thomas, it's time to wake up!"

Thomas Black awoke to the cold whisper of Mrs. Cole in his ear. Although she had been his caretaker his whole life, Thomas was in no mood to obey her this morning. He wished he could just go back to sleep.

"Good morning, Mrs. Cole," he mumbled sleepily, pulling his thin blanket tighter around himself.

" Come now, my boy, get up. You've got a big day ahead of you!"

Mrs. Cole tried to rouse Thomas again, wishing she could shake him by the shoulder. But, of course, when she tried to touch him, her hand passed right through. For, you see, Mrs. Cole had been dead for nearly half a century now, but had remained a ghost to care for Thomas after he was left at her orphanage with nothing but his name.

"Don't remind me," groaned Thomas, but this time he decided that there was no point in delaying the inevitable.

"There's a good lad. Now let's get a move on. You don't want to miss the train, now do you?"

Mrs. Cole floated away, looking back over her shoulder to make sure that Thomas got out of bed. Thomas rubbed his eyes sleepily and then made his way over to the small wardrobe in the corner of his room. As he opened the door, he caught sight of the date on the small calendar pinned there: September 1st. Today was the first day of Thomas' second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Thomas wished that he would never have to return to that cursed school ever again. Sure, he was grateful for the opportunity to leave the cold, damp orphanage, but his first year had been dreadful and did not wish to repeat the experience.

He wished he could erase all the memories of his first year from his mind. He wanted to forget being sorted into Slytherin after enduring a terrifying mental conversation with a _hat_, a talking hat that had deliberated for nearly a solid minute before announcing to the whole hall that Thomas belonged in the house most known for producing Dark wizards. He wanted to forget the loneliness: wandering the corridors of Hogwarts by himself, confiding in no one. He wanted to forget the jeers and taunts of his classmates when he swore that there were people there that no one else could he knew he had to go. He loved magic and learning and he would be stupid to waste the opportunity that he had been given to go to Hogwarts, no matter how lonely he would be there.

He dressed quickly in Muggle clothing: dark jeans, a grey button-down shirt, and his charcoal-colored wool coat. He caught his own piercing green eyes staring back at him in the wardrobe mirror and decided that he would try to make a good impression on his first day of school. He combed back his straight black hair and then made his way downstairs for breakfast.

Thomas tried to ignore the shouts of the other boys as he passed their rooms on the way to the staircase.

"Hey, freak! How's 'Mrs. Cole' today?"

"Who were ya' talkin' to just then? Your imaginary friend?"

"Hey, guys, Black still has an imaginary friend! I bet he sleeps with a teddy bear too!"

Thomas was used to this by now, so he blocked out their grating voices as he hurried to the dining room. He was so focused on not listening that he nearly ran into the living caretaker of the orphanage, Mrs. Hooper.

"Watch where you're going, boy!" she snapped.

"S-sorry, ma'am," stammered Thomas, avoiding her gaze and continuing down the hallway towards the dining room. Finally, he reached his destination, where he saw Mrs. Cole hovering next to table, pointing at a bowl of porridge that Thomas strongly suspected was cold by now. His morning was not turning out to be a good one.

"Eat up! And then go and make sure your trunk is packed. You must leave for the train station quite soon," instructed Mrs. Cole as Thomas sat down to eat. He choked down the (of course) cold and slightly congealed porridge and then sprinted back upstairs to pack. He really hoped that this school year would turn out better than the last.

Miles away, another young boy was waking up for his first day of school.


End file.
